This invention pertains to satellite communication systems and more particularly is concerned with spread spectrum or code division multiple access satellite communication systems.
There are at present very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks which employ code division multiple access (CDMA) techniques. These networks, however, do not permit distinct networks to share the same inbound space segment.
There is a need for private satellite networks containing between 20 and about 300 terminals in communication with a common hub ground station. Code division multiple access (CDMA) spread spectrum techniques were first used in military systems because of the cost of their implementation. Further, the possibility has been raised of systems with spread spectrum techniques in combination with time slotted packet contention techniques such as that known as ALOHA.